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Edinburgh Science Festival - 8 April 2004
Organisers: Edinburgh International Science Festival, the Scottish Stem Cell Network, and the Centre for Social and Economic Research in Innovation in Genomics (Innogen)
Venue: Royal College of Physicians, 9 Queen Street, Edinburgh
SCHB participant:Dr Calum MacKellar
Two back to back events, hosted by the Scottish Stem Cell Network and the Centre for Social and Economic Research in Innovation in Genomics (Innogen), discussed a variety of issues arising from current advances in human stem cell research. The scientific background and clinical potential of the field was presented in the first session which aimed to convey state of the art science and medicine to the audience. In the second session, some of the legal and ethical aspects of the technology were presented and the audience was invited to join the debate and give feedback on the key questions which will determine how the technology develops over the next few years.
Stem cell research is one of the most exciting areas of biology today, advancing knowledge about how an organism develops from a single cell, and how healthy cells can replace damaged cells and tissues in adults. The big promise of this area of research is the possibility of cell based therapies to treat human diseases, a field referred to as regenerative medicine. The two important characteristics that make stem cells unique are the ability to renew themselves continuously and the ability to differentiate into all of the cell types found in the body. Stem cells are found in embryonic tissue, where they give rise to the final adult organism, and also in adult tissues, where they function to repair and renew cells and tissues on a daily basis. Understanding the essential properties of stem cells will enable scientists to use these cells to produce replacement tissues to treat human diseases such as Parkinsons’ disease and diabetes.
In the first session, Professor John Clark (Director of the Roslin Institute, Edinburgh) and Dr Marc Turner (Clinical Director of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service) presented an overview of the current status of basic science and clinical research in stem cells. They provided video footage of these cells as they develop into specialized cell types, such as beating heart muscle, nerve cells, or pancreatic insulin producing cells. Plans were also presented, globally and within Scotland, to translate this exciting research into real clinical therapies.
In this rapidly expanding area of scientific research, new questions are constantly raised while new discoveries are being made. And many of these questions have an ethical dimension in response to the scientific advancement. These were addressed during the second session, which looked at what happens in the time between gaining fundamental scientific knowledge and the arrival of useful products and treatments. Specifically, it explored how the science is developed and how engagement with public opinion is critical in this process. Baroness Helena Kennedy (Chair Human Genetics Commission) discussed the legal and ethical issues relating to stem cell technology, and how public opinion is conveyed to scientists and government. Professor Joyce Tait (Director ESRC Innogen Centre) examined how a range of factors intervene between scientific discovery and practical application, so that the end results are often very different from those originally envisaged. This session was highly interactive, employing the use of a voting system to gauge public opinion on the issues raised.